The Ultimate Revenge
by Emma.S18
Summary: Regina wants the ultimate revenge on Snow White. When Snow White and Prince Charming die in a fire just after Emma is born, Regina raises little Emma. Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time or it's characters...
1. The Ultimate Revenge

Regina Mills, also known as 'the Evil Queen', barges into Snow White's room just as she's giving birth to her daughter.

Prince Charming pulls out his sword, but before he can point it at the Queen, he's on the floor, unconscious.

Regina walks over to Snow White and laughs. "You've had your chance at happiness. Now, it's my turn!" she says as she grabs the newborn out of the mother's arms.

"Emma!" Snow White yells. Regina holds Emma in one arm. With her other one, she conjures a fireball and sets the room on fire, before transporting herself and the child out of the castle.

"You, little one, will grow up to love me! That will be my ultimate revenge on Snow White!"

King Leopold had died of sadness at his daughter's loss a few weeks later.

**6 years later**

"Mommy?" A blonde little angel looked up at the Queen.

"Hello, my dear! Happy birthday!" The Queen kneelt down to the child's height.

"Mommy, why did the other kids in my class say you are evil?" The child looked sad.

Regina was uncomfortable. "Mommy did some bad things, before she had you."

"You're not evil, Mommy! I love you! I don't want to go back to class!" her little eyes filled with tears.

"Hey, it's okay, my love! I'll find you a teacher that teaches you here in the castle, all right?" the little one nodded.

"Come on, Princess! Let's go put on your dress and go to your party." Emma hugged Regina before taking her hand and following her to her room.

After helping the little girl change, Regina looked down at her. "Look at you, my little Princess! You are so beautiful, my dear!"

Emma grinned widely. "You're more beautiful than me, Mommy!"

Regina smiled while brushing blonde curls. "Do you want to open your present now or later?"

At the word 'present', Emma's eyes twinkled. Regina laughed and kissed her daughter's forehead, before giving her a small box.

Their eyes met for a few seconds, before the child opened her present.

In the box was a beautiful, heart shaped necklace. "Because Mommy loves you!" Regina whispered in her ear.

The girl turned around and hugged the Queen. "Thank you, Mommy! I love you too."

After a few minutes the smaller one let go of her mom. "Can you put it on, please?"

Regina smiled, "of course, dear!"

Once they were both ready, Regina let the child to the ballroom, where her party was being held.

When Emma saw her best friend, Red, she wanted to run to her, but Regina held her back.

"Darling a princess doesn't run." She scolded. Emma nodded apologetically, before turning around and walking towards her friend.

"Happy birthday!" the brunette practically yelled and hugged her tightly.

The whole afternoon was spent in dancing, playing, opening presents, eating cake and just having fun.

At the end of the day, Emma and Regina ate dinner together, before Emma had to go to bed.

"Mommy?" The tired birthday girl asked. Regina picked her up to carry her to her bedroom.

"Can I sleep in your room tonight, please?" Regina smiled at the half asleep little girl in her arms. "Sure, my love."

That night, Regina fell asleep on her back with her daughter's head on her chest and a smile on her face.

******************************************************************************** **3AM **

Regina woke up from her daughter's scream.

"Emma! Wake up, darling!" Regina shook her daughter. The child woke up screaming and crying.

"Baby, it's okay! Mommy's right here! It was just a nightmare, my love!" Regina reassured her daughter.

"Tell me, baby, what was your nightmare about?" the little girl held her mother tightly.

"I was in a fire. There was a man with a sword and a woman in a bed. I was in your arms and then suddenly the room was on fire. I was so scared, Mommy!" Regina paled at her daughter's description.

"It's all right! You're safe now, darling. I'm never gonna let anything bad happen to you!" The Queen promised.

"Mommy, was that what happened to Snow White and Prince Charming?" Emma asked. Regina's face went completely white.

_How did she know about them? Did she know who they were? _Regina panicked.


	2. Where is Emma?

"Rumpelstiltskin!" An odd man with golden skin appeared in front of the Queen.

He bowed. "My Queen?" Regina smiled a little, but it didn't last long. "What can I do for you, dearie?" The imp asked.

"I need a potion! Emma remembers the night she was born. She remembers Snow White!" The Queen explained with disgust.

The imp nodded. "Well, dearie, as you know, all magic comes with a price!"

Regina sighed. "Fine! Name it!" She said desperately.

"I know you're keeping Belle somewhere! I want her back!" The imp said.

Regina agreed, but on one condition: "Belle is Emma's teacher and I want it to stay that way!"

The imp nodded. "As you wish."

"Now give me my potion!" The Queen demanded angrily.

Rumpelstiltskin conjured all the needed ingredients and told her how to make the potion. "Now you have to keep your end of the deal, dearie!"

Regina rolled her eyes and a purple cloud made Belle appear in the room. "Belle, dear, I'll see you tomorrow for Emma's classes." The other Brunette nodded, before she and the imp left.

********************************************************************************  
>"Emma, darling, is there anything else you remember from your dream last night?" Regina wanted to make sure she eliminated everything the girl remembered about her birthparents.<p>

"Mommy," The young girl said. "I don't like Snow White! She wanted to take me away from you!"

This made Regina smile. "Nobody is going to take you away from me, my love! I promise!" Emma nodded and hugged her tightly.

At that moment Regina was happy. She decided to let Emma keep her memories for now. As long as the young girl hated Snow White, it would make her revenge even sweeter.

"Mommy? Can we go for a walk to the lake?" Emma looked up at the Brunette woman. Her eyes were filled with hope.

"I have an even better idea! How about we take the horses out?" Emma's eyes shone brightly. The child loved spending time with her mother.

**A few weeks later**

Belle knocked on the Queen's door.

The Queen sighed irritated at the interruption. She walked to the door.

A confused look crossed her face as she saw Emma's teacher before her.

"Shouldn't you be teaching my daughter?" The Queen asked harshly.

"I'm sorry to bother you, my Queen, but Emma didn't come to her classes today!" The Queen's eyes widened dramatically.

"What do you mean, she didn't come to class today I walked her to the study myself!" Worry filled Regina's eyes.

"I was a bit late today, because of a tree that fell on the road and when I got to the study Emma wasn't there!" Regina's eyes filled with fury.

"Why didn't you come here faster, I brought her to the study over an hour ago!" The Queen yelled.

"I'm sorry! I thought maybe Emma went to the stables or to the playroom, but I can't find her anywhere!" Belle's face was red with embarrassment.

"If anything happened to my baby girl, I'm gonna kill you! How could you be so careless? Emma is just a child!" Regina screamed.

Regina turned to her mirror and dismissed Belle. Once the door was closed once more Regina spoke. "Mirror! Show me where my daughter is!"

An image appeared of the frightened young Blonde crying and screaming for her Mother. Regina's heart broke. Just before she was going to transport herself to her daughter's location someone else appeared in the mirror.

"Mother!" Regina snarled.

The woman in the mirror walked towards the child and grabbed her by the arm forcefully.

"Stop crying, child! It's very Princess like! Your mother would be very angry with you if she saw you right know!"

This was too much for Regina; she made the image disappear and transported herself to Emma.

"Let go of my daughter!" Regina snarled furiously.

Her mother laughed. "Hello Regina! Were you ever going to introduce me to my grandchild?" Cora asked as she shoved Emma to the ground.

Emma fell on her knees so hard that they were bleeding. "My daughter doesn't love you, Emma! You aren't even her real daughter!"

Emma stood up angrily. "That's not true! Mommy does love me!" Regina smiled proudly at her daughter and nodded that she was right.

Cora watched the two, before slapping the child's cheek. "Don't be such a fool, dear! You are Snow White's daughter! Snow is Regina's enemy so she could never love you!"

Tears filled the child's eyes as she looked at her mother in realization.

"Is it true, Mommy? Is that why I had that nightmare?"

Tears flowed down both their faces. Regina just stood there. She couldn't lie to her daughter, but she also knew that if she told her the truth the child would hate her forever.

While both mother and child were busy starring at each other, neither realized that Cora was standing once more next to Emma.

Before Regina could even react her mother and her daughter were gone, leaving only a cloud of almost black smoke that soon vanished as well.

Was her daughter ever gonna forgive her? Will she ever see her little angel again?

The only thing Regina knew right now, was that she was never going to stop trying to get her daughter back.


	3. Finding Emma

"Mommy!" it was the last thing Regina heard from Emma before she disappeared.

"Don't worry, my little angel! Mommy's going to find you!" Regina whispered even though the child couldn't hear her.

Rumpelstiltskin appeared out of nothing. "You!" Regina yelled, but was quickly stopped by the imp.

"Dearie, I have a proposition for you, seeing as we have a common enemy!" Regina raised an eyebrow.

"Why would you have an enemy in my mother?" She asked suspiciously. "If anything I would have thought you were working with her!"

The imp nodded. "Yes, but you know you mother's phrase: 'love is weakness'."

Regina nodded. "Well, the Queen of Hearts ripped Belle's heart out to manipulate Emma. I'd like it back where it belongs!"

Regina gasped. "When?" She demanded.

"This morning." Regina sighed relieved. In that time she couldn't have done too much damage.

"How do you propose we do this?" The imp smiled evilly.

"Well, dearie, if you can tell me where she hides her own heart, I can poison it and put it back in her chest so I can watch her suffer and die!"

Regina smiled evilly too. "Good! I'll do it, but I don't want Emma to see it! She's just a child!" Rumple nodded.

Regina turned to the mirror. "Show me my Mother's heart!" She demanded.

As soon as the image appeared in the glass, Rumple was gone. A few seconds later Regina could see him in the mirror.

"Show me Emma!" She demanded now.

Immediately after the image changed and Emma's angelic face could be seen. Tears were streaming down her face. She was tied down in a dark cave.

She made the mirror double-sided. "Baby?" Emma's teary eyes looked up at her mother's voice.

"Mommy! I'm scared!" the little blonde told her.

"You don't have to be scared anymore, Princess! I'm coming to get you, but for now imagine being here with me."

Regina had to smile as Emma closed her eyes and concentrated very hard. It was adorable.

Suddenly a white cloud surrounded Emma in the mirror and then she was gone.

"Emma!" Regina yelled. After a few seconds that same with cloud appeared right next to her and there she was, her little girl.

"Emma did you do this?" Regina asked full of wonder. Was it possible that Emma had magic?

The little girl hugged Regina tightly. "I think so!" Emma answered with her forehead against Regina's stomach.

"I'm so proud of you!" The mom told her daughter. She took Emma's face in her hands and made her look up in her eyes.

"My little angel, I'm so glad you're home!" She whispered as she gave her a kiss on her nose.

Emma put out her arms, telling her mom she wanted to be picked up. Regina was more than happy to oblige.

The happy reunion was only short lived as Emma suddenly cried out in pain.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Regina asked worriedly.

"Grandma… She cursed me!" Emma told her before once more crying out in pain.

"What kind of curse?" Regina asked panicked.

"I don't know" Emma said before losing consciousness.

"Emma!" Regina yelled, trying to wake her up, but without success.

**A/N: **

**Will Regina find what's wrong with Emma?**

**Will she be able to save her daughter?**

**Review, please! **

**(Ideas for next chapters or new stories are always welcome! ;) )**

**Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

**Love, **

**Emma**


	4. Saving Emma

Regina took Emma in her arms and laid her down on her bed. Panicked, the mother started looking through all her magic books for a way to save her daughter.

When she came up empty, she only knew one person who could help. "Rumplestiltskin!" The imp appeared a few seconds later.

"What can I do for you now, dearie? Problems with the Princess?" The smile never left his face, not even as he looked over the brunette's shoulder to the unconscious child.

"Yes! My mother," the name was pronounced as if it was poison, "she cursed Emma! You need to tell me how to undo it!" She demanded.

Rumple walked past the Queen, towards the child on the bed. He examined her for a moment, before turning back towards the mother. "I'm sorry, dearie, but there's nothing I can do! Emma's not cursed she's sick and dying fast!"

The brunette nodded her thanks and the imp disappeared the way he came. She conjured up a doctor from another realm. "Victor!" She snarled. "What is wrong with my daughter?"

The doctor wanted to ignore the brunette's request until he saw Emma, young and fragile, on the bed. He sighed and did was he was asked.

"Your daughter has an appendix rupture! It's very painful and needs to be removed. I can do it, if you'd like." Regina nodded quickly. She took Emma's small hand in hers and leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"Do whatever it takes to get her better!" The doctor nodded and started naming tools he needed, which Regina made appear.

Regina looked over his every move, making sure he didn't do something he'd regret.

* * *

><p><strong>The next day<strong>

"Mommy?" A sleepy voice called. Regina hurried towards her daughter. "I'm here, Sweetheart! How are you feeling?"

Small eyes opened slowly. "Better, but I'm still sleepy!" Regina smiled. "I'm glad you're feeling better! Would you like to go lay down in my bed? I could read you a story?" Regina suggested.

A wide smile appeared on Emma's face. "I'd like that!"

A few minutes later, Regina was lying in her own bed, with her daughter's head on her chest. Before she could ask what story the child wanted, Emma was already fast asleep.

"Sweet dreams, my little angel!" Regina whispered, before falling asleep herself.

**A/N: **

**Review if you want to read more! ;)**


	5. Finding out the Truth

**A/N: Thanks to Ana. Liv. Night21 for editing ;)**

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><p><strong>6 years later<strong>

It was a few days before Emma's 12th birthday. The blonde although had not been sleeping very well lately and wasn't very excited. The nightmare she had had as a child was becoming a more frequent happening.

Regina woke up every night from Emma's screaming, hurrying to her daughter's room to comfort her.

That night as she woke Emma up and held her to calm her, the young girl decided she wanted to talk about it. "Mom," she asked, "do you remember when I was six and Grandma had taken me away from you?"

Regina's face paled. She hated thinking about that period; it had been one of the worst times of her life. She had been scared to loose her baby girl forever.

But if her daughter needed to talk about it, she would! She couldn't deny Emma something like that. So she answered: "Of Course, darling, I could never forget being so scared to lose you!"

Emma nodded slowly. "Is it true?" She asked in a small, shy voice. The brunette frowned. "Is what true, Emma?" The child looked away from her mother, tears in her eyes. "You aren't my real Mom, are you?"

Regina's hold on Emma tightened, fearing the girl's reaction. She had promised herself, she would tell Emma the truth if she ever asked. And now that day had come.

"Emma, darling, I am your real mother, even if I didn't give birth to you! You're my baby girl. You've always been and you'll always been, I promise you!" Emma struggled a bit against Regina's hold, but she didn't succeed to get free.

"What happened to my birth parents? Did they die in a fire, like in my nightmare?" Sadness filled her voice, while silent tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Yes!" Regina responded honestly, dreading the question she knew was coming from this answer.

"How did I get out of the fire? Were you there?" And there it was… the question she had feared since Emma said her first words. This was it: the way she answered this question would determine the way Emma was going to see her.

"Yes," she said, "I was there! That's how you got out." Regina sighed, knowing that was only half the truth. She couldn't hide the rest of the story. If she didn't tell her now, then she would here it from someone else and then she would never trust her again.

"Years before you were born, I was in love with a boy named Daniel! I had to hide it from your Grandma, because she didn't approve. She wanted me to be a Queen! Your birth mother, Snow White," Regina snarled at the name of her enemy.

"She caught us together. I made her promise not to tell my mother, but she did anyway. My mother killed Daniel." A pained expression filled Regina's face. "By the time she and her Prince Charming were getting married, I had tried to kill Snow more then once."

Shame and embarrassment filled her face. She blushed. "A few months later, she gave birth to the most beautiful baby girl I'd ever seen, but I was still so angry with Snow for taking everything for me. I ended up putting the room on fire. As soon as I noticed you in her arms, I regretted what I'd done."

Tears were flowing down both their faces. "She begged me not to hurt you! I couldn't and honestly, didn't want to save all three of you, but I couldn't let this perfect child die, because of her mother's mistake. I couldn't let you die, even if it would have made my revenge sweeter and I didn't want to do that, so I took you away!"

Emma got out of Regina's loosened grip and crossed the room quickly, falling against the wall, crying. The mother followed her daughter, wanting to comfort her and take away her pain. But before she could even reach out for Emma, the girl started yelling at her.

"Don't!" She screamed. "You don't love me! You're not my mother! Leave me alone!" Regina's heart broke. "I do love you, darling! I really do, I promise."

This time she let Regina hold her.

Regina whispered soothing, loving words in Emma's ear. "I love you, baby! I'm so sorry this is hurting you so! I hate to see you so sad! Please, darling, I really, really love you!"

It was getting late and Emma was getting tired, especially from all the crying, yelling and heavy, emotional moments. "You really promise? Do you really love me?"

Regina smiled a little. "Of course, I do, my little angel! I think there's not one person in this realm or any other that could not love you, but I love you most of all!" Emma nodded tiredly. "Love you too!" she whispered through a yawn.

"Mommy," the blonde girl sounded so young, "can I sleep with you tonight?" Now Regina's smile was as big as it could be. "Yes, you can. Always! Can you walk or do you want me to transport us?"

"Transport!" Came the answer. "Can you change us into our pj's too?" Regina nodded.

A few minutes later, Regina and Emma were cuddled up together in bed and fast asleep.


	6. The Queen's job

**A/N: Thanks to Ana. Liv. Night21 for editing ;)**

* * *

><p>"My Queen!" The knight bowed in front of Regina. Regina smiled. "Yes, sir?" He stood up. "Some of the people of your Kingdom are in the Grand Hall, my Queen. They are worried about the Ogres showing up in this Kingdom."<p>

Regina nodded. "Let me walk my daughter to her classes and I'll come talk to them." Emma was about to ask if she couldn't come with, but Regina gave her a stern look.

As the knight left, Emma looked at her mother. "Mom, I'm twelve now! I should get to know the people of our Kingdom, don't you think?" Regina looked at her suspicious.

"Fine, but just this once! It's important you go to your classes! I want you to be as smart as you could ever be. That way, one day, you'll be an amazing Queen!" Emma smiled. "Just like you!" She commented.

They quickly went to the Library, where Belle was waiting for Emma to start today's classes. "Belle, Emma will be joining me in the Grand Hall to speak to the Kingdom's people. Today's classes will have to wait till tomorrow, if that's all right with you?" Belle nodded understandingly.

Then mother and daughter went to the Grand Hall, where upon entering the Kingdom's people bowed for them. Regina sat down on the Throne facing the people, with Emma by her side.

"I've heard of your concerns about the Ogres." Regina said. "I can assure you that an army is watching the entrance to the Kingdom, night and day! I also installed a Magical barrier around the Kingdom as an extra protection. I can assure each and everyone of you that nothing can come through it without my notice."

One of the men in the back walked to the front of the mass of people. "Can we really trust her? After all, she's still the Evil Queen!" He yelled to the crowd.

Regina sighed sadly, recognizing him as one of Snow White's loyal subjects.

Before she could react, Emma was on her feet. "My Mom might once have been the Evil Queen, but she's not anymore! She's changed! If she hadn't put up that barrier, don't you think the Ogres would have destroyed this Kingdom by now."

Everyone was looking at her with full attention. "The Ogres war has started long before I was born! Today, I'm twelve and they still haven't gotten into our Kingdom. If your Queen was as evil as you call her, the only thing that wouldn't be destroyed in this Kingdom would be this castle!"

Emma was furious. She hated that people still saw her mother like that. "You people should be ashamed of yourselves for thinking so badly about her! She loves this Kingdom almost as much as she loves me, her own daughter!"

The whole crowd looked down ashamedly, including Snow White's subject.

"You shouldn't fear her, you should love her! She's the best Queen this Kingdom has ever seen." With that the whole crowd bowed down in front of the Queen.

Regina smiled at her daughter, with tears in her eyes. The words Emma had spoken towards almost the whole Kingdom had touched her deeply. They made her understand the love her daughter had for her, even after finding out the truth about where she comes from.

The people started leaving, going back to their homes.

Emma turned around and faced her mother, expecting to get scolded for her outburst. Instead Regina smiled at her, before hugging her tightly.

"Is that really the way you see me, Emma?" She asked her daughter. The teen nodded. "I love you, Mom" Regina kissed her cheek. "I love you too, my little angel!"


	7. Emma's magic

**A/N: Thanks to Ana. Liv. Night21 for editing ;)**

* * *

><p>A few weeks after Emma's little outburst, Regina heard a scream. Recognizing her daughter's voice, she hurried towards the castle's gardens. What she saw there made her gasp.<p>

Emma was on the floor crying her eyes out, while Ruby and some other teen were trying to console her.

"What happened?" She asked frantically, kneeling next to her daughter, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"My Queen," Ruby said. "Aladdin here, was trying to get Emma into an argument, by calling you 'the Evil-"

"She's not evil!" Emma screamed through her tears, interrupting Ruby before she could say the full name.

"And then what happened?" Regina insisted. "Well, a fireball appeared in Emma's hand when she got really angry." Ruby said. "The fireball hit my arm as I tried to stop Emma from throwing it."

Emma sobbed into Regina's embrace. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone!" Regina tightened her hold on Emma reassuringly. She held Emma with one hand, while healing Ruby with the other.

"You two, go home!" Regina said as she stood up and carried Emma inside.

"It's okay, baby!" She tried to make Emma stop crying, but it didn't work. "No, it's not! I hurt my best friend!"

Regina made the teen look into her eyes. "It's okay! Ruby's okay! You just need to learn to control your magic! I'm going to help you. I'm here for you, darling. Always!"


	8. Grounded

**A/N: Thanks to Ana. Liv. Night21 for editing ;)**

* * *

><p><strong>3 years later<strong>

In the last three years, Regina had thought her daughter a lot about white magic and Emma was really good at it.

Since they had discovered that Emma had magic, she and her mother had become closer than ever, but Emma was growing up and almost every teenager has a rebellious phase. The last few weeks, Emma had gotten into trouble a few times and Regina had decided to ground her.

However, Emma had decided that being grounded meant not being aloud out of her room, but it didn't mean she couldn't invite others to join her. She had asked Arthur, the son of her new handmaiden, to come and hang out with her. She had met him last week and had instantly fallen in love with him.

*Knock, knock, knock* This was it here he was. She quickly opened the door. "Hey Arthur" They smiled at each other. "Hey Emma. I should really not be here. Mom says you're grounded and if your Mom finds out about this, my Mom could get fired. "You're right," she pouted. "Hey, I'll see you later, promise." He quickly pecked her on the lips and ran away, blushing furiously.

Emma was on cloud nine, even though he was only there for a few seconds, he had kissed her. She had to tell her Best Friend, but was still grounded. Emma hesitated for a second, but couldn't wait to tell, so she quietly snuck out. She couldn't exactly transport herself, 'cause that would alert her Mom.

"Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god! Ruby, he kissed me." Emma told her Best Friend excitedly. She had the biggest smile on her face. "Emma, I'm so happy for you. Was that your first kiss?" The blonde nodded. The two girls hugged. After letting go of her friend, Emma quickly said goodbye and snuck back to her room.

She tiptoed into her room and very quietly closed the door behind her. As she turned around, she gasped surprised. Regina was standing right before her, arms crossed and eyebrows raised. She definitely did not look happy.

"Where have you been?" She demanded. Emma looked down sadly. "I'm sorry, Mom. I went to talk to Ruby." Regina put her hands on her hips. "And what was so important, you couldn't wait two days to tell?" Regina was furious. "I can't tell." Emma whispered. "Speak up, Emma, I can't hear you." Emma repeated herself, this time a little louder.

"Since when is there something you can't tell me?" Regina asked surprised. "Since I don't want you to get anyone in trouble because of me." Regina sighed and sat down on her daughter's bed, gesturing for Emma to sit next to her. After they both were seated Regina spoke up again. "Emma, nobody's in trouble. I'm just worried about you. You keep sneaking out of here and I'm worried something might happen to you."

"Okay, promise you won't tell and no one will get in trouble if I tell you." Regina looked Emma in the eye and promised. "Okay, Arthur kissed me." Regina smiled. "This is your first kiss, right? Your first boyfriend?" Emma bit her lip and nodded. "I'm so happy for you, darling. I'm really glad you trust me enough to talk to me about this." Emma quickly hugged her mother and kissed her cheek.

"But, please don't sneak out anymore, Emma?" Her mother begged, hugging her daughter back. "I won't, I promise. Does this mean I'm not grounded anymore?" She gave Regina a hopeful look, which made the brunette chuckle. "Fine. Just this once." Emma smiled. "Thanks, Mom. I love you." Regina kissed her cheek. "I love you too."


	9. Meeting the Handmaiden's son

**A/N: Thanks to Ana. Liv. Night21 for editing ;)**

**Sorry it took me so long to post a new chapter...**

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><p><strong>A week earlier<strong>

Emma was running through the halls of the palace, on her way to the stables where she was meeting Ruby. Suddenly the fifteen-year-old bumped into someone, making them both fall on their butts.

"I'm so sorry!" a boy about the same age as her immediately mumbled. It was obvious he was very nervous. Emma smiled kindly. "Don't worry about it. Besides if anyone's to blame for this it would be me."

The blonde looked at the boy and frowned. "Are you new here? I haven't seen you around here." The boy smiled nervously. "I'm Arthur. My Mom is the Princess' new handmaiden." Emma laughed. The boy obviously didn't know who she was yet.

"Hey, you want to go to the stables with me?" Arthur smiled at her genuinely for the first time. "Yeah, sure." Emma took his hand, blushing lightly, but dragged him to the stables.

As they neared the stables, Emma saw Ruby. The brunette chuckled. "Is this your boyfriend, Emma?" The blonde blushed and the boy's eyes widened. He looked at Emma, who was still holding her hand, in shock. "Emma? As in Princess Emma?"

Both girls started laughing uncontrollably. "Hey! This isn't funny!" The boy tried, making the girls laugh even harder.

When they calmed down, Ruby told the others she had to leave. Emma fake pouted for a few seconds, before hugging her best friend. "Bye, lover boy."

Both Arthur and Emma turned bright red, watching the brunette leave. Once they were alone, there was an awkward silence. "I like you," Emma said suddenly, looking everywhere but the boy himself.

Arthur smiled, but also avoided eye contact. "I- I like you too," They finally looked up into each other's eyes. They smiled at each other and started leaning in.

Before they could kiss they were interrupted. "Princess Emma?" Both pulled apart quickly, as the Princess's new handmaiden and Arthur's Mom entered the stables. "Ah, Princess, there you are. Oh, I see you've met my son, Arthur." The blonde looked at the boy and bit her lip smiling.

"Princess, your mother has requested your presence for lunch. She told me to make you wear a nice dress." Emma rolled her eyes and followed Arthur's mother back inside the palace.

The two of them saw each other as much as they could for the next few days, but they kept getting interrupted before anything could happen between them. Until their first exactly a week after they met.

She hadn't wanted to tell Regina about her first kiss, but her mother had pushed her to talk. She honestly hadn't expected her to react the way she had, but she was happy with the way it'd turned out. Emma loved that she could talk to her Mom about anything.

The day after their first kiss, Arthur had asked Emma to have a picnic date with him. The blonde had done everything she could to act cool and relaxed, but as soon as he was gone, she ran to her mother.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" Regina smiled at her daughter. "He asked me out on a date!" Emma explained excitedly. Regina chuckled at her daughter's excitement.

"So, what will you be doing on this date of yours?" Regina asked, walking to the couch and gesturing for Emma to take a seat next to her. "He's taking me on a picnic."

Regina nodded. "Will you be staying in the Palace's park?" Emma smiled. "Of course. You're the only one I want to go exploring with." Regina smiled back at the blonde and hugged her back.

"I can't believe my baby girl is going on her first date." Happy tears were filling her eyes. She couldn't believe how big her little girl had gotten. She was so proud of her daughter.

Emma enjoyed the hug, for a little while, and then she kissed her mother's cheek and pulled away. "I love you, Mom. Thanks for accepting this relationship." Regina nodded. "Of course. You know my mother never supported me in my first relationship and I didn't want to do the same to you. Just promise me that you'll come to me if you ever have a problem?"

"Whom else would I go to, Mom? It's what Moms are for right?" Regina pulled Emma in for another quick kiss, before going back to her work. "Go and have fun." Emma was smiling widely as she exited the room.


	10. The Picnic Date

**A/N: Thanks to Ana. Liv. Night21 for editing ;)**

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><p>Emma arrived at the place Arthur had told her to come. She looked around her and gasped. Around the picnic blanket magical lights were twinkling everyone. It was absolutely beautiful. So much so, that it brought tears to Emma's eyes.<p>

Arthur was standing before her with roses in his shaky hands. He nervously handed her the flowers and looked down at the floor shyly. Emma accepted them and had the same shy reaction.

"Thank you," she whispered shyly, "They're beautiful. This is so perfect." Arthur smiled at her nervously. "Would you like to sit, Princess?" She cringed. "Please, don't call me that. It's so formal." He nodded understandingly.

They sat down side by side, but neither of them really knew what to talk about. The awkward silence dragged on for a while. Emma finally couldn't take it anymore, "what did you bring to eat?" She asked hungrily.

"I asked the kitchen to prepare all of your favorites," He opened the basket, revealing what was inside. Emma squealed loudly. "Desserts!" She exclaimed happily.

Not thinking she grabbed his shirt and pulled him in for a long, passionate kiss. They only broke apart when air was needed. Emma looked away, blushing deeply. She bit her lip, not knowing how he was going to react.

He smiled. With one finger on her chin, he made her look in his eyes. "You are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, especially when you're happy." Emma blushed even harder, but this time she didn't break the eye contact.

He pecked her lips once more, before taking one of the desserts out of the basket and feeding it to Emma. "God, I really love this. You should really try it." She put another spoonful into her mouth. As soon as she pulled the spoon out, she had Arthur's lips on hers. "You're right. It's delicious." He said, making Emma chuckle and shake her head.

After eating almost everything in the basket they decided to go for a walk. Emma linked her arm with Arthur's while walking around the park. "Can I show you something?" The boy nodded. Emma dragged her boyfriend to the lake at the center of the park.

"I love this place. It's so peaceful." Arthur smiled, watching the blonde as she showed him her favorite place on Palace Grounds. "It's beautiful." Emma looked at him and noticed he was looking at her. "What is? You haven't even looked around." She accused. "Your smile." He explained.

Emma rolled her eyes. She sat down and pulled the boy down with her. She lay down with her head in his lap. "I wish we could stay like this forever." Just after saying that the first drop of rain fell on her nose. "Guess we don't have that option." They laughed.

They ran back to the palace, but still arrived soaking wet. They ran into Regina as they entered the palace. Arthur's face immediately went pale. "My Queen," he bowed. "Hi kids, did you have fun on your date?" Emma smiled. "It was perfect, until it started raining."

"I see that; you're soaked. Please go to your room and change, before you get sick?" Emma nodded. She quickly pecked Arthur's lips, before leaving to go to her room.

"Arthur, right? Could I speak with you, please?" Regina asked her daughter's boyfriend. The boy didn't want to get in trouble, so he followed the Queen to the dining room.

"Arthur, my daughter seems to like you greatly. I hope you will do everything you can to make her happy. If I hear that you hurt her, you and your mother will be banished from my kingdom, understood?" The boy nodded, scared to death. "Of course, my Queen. I would never intentionally hurt her." Regina nodded satisfied, knowing that she couldn't do anything more to protect her daughter.


End file.
